[Photo by C Davey Wilson]
We hate half-baked countdowns just as much as the next cynic. That said, self-titled couldn’t help but stare in horror as good but not great (Fleet Foxes at No. 1 and 2? Really?) albums top the lists of other publications. Here’s one of 30 selections from our rundown of wholly recommended 2008 records …
Yes, they’re still mining the Jesus and Mary Chain for ideas, right down to the flipped “I want your candy” metaphors of “You Want the Candy.” That said, the Raveonettes also swipe ideas from self-titled‘s other long-term love affair: Phil Spector’s towering Wall of Technicolor Sound. The result conjures the ’50s with feedback–a pop record that’s rough around the edges, yet as 3-D and blinding as Lust Lust Lust‘s album sleeve.
In many ways, the Raveonettes’ ravishing Vice debut retreads the same amp-searing territory as their early records–especially the deviant and delightful Whip It On EP–but that’s exactly why we love it. Classic Rave-ups like “Beat City” and “Do You Believe Her” used to ignite our fight or fuck response, urging us to seize the day as it were, before the duo’s monochromatic film noir soundtrack leaves a trail of dead bodies in its wake. And while things have gotten slightly cheerier with time, the Raveonettes still cut their candy with enough razor blades to keep things quite interesting.
[audio:http://www.vicerecords.com/download/raveonettes-aly_walk_with_me.mp3]
